Don't fight
by Koomahana
Summary: you know how Sasuke and Naruto got into a nasty fight on the hospital roof just after the Chunin exams? well what would have happened if Kakashi hadn't made it in time?
1. Chapter 1: Mistake

The day Sasuke woke up after his fight with Itachi after the Chunin exams, he had gotten into a fight with Naruto on the roof of the hospital. When he and Naruto had pulled out their most powerful jutsu's, Sakura ran to stop them.

This time… Kakashi didn't make it in time to save her…

Naruto hit Sakura's left shoulder and Sasuke hit her right shoulder. Sasuke and Naruto starred at the pink haired girl between them, Sasuke's hand protruding from the other side of Sakura's shoulder.

"Please," she whispered to them, her blood gushing out and covering them "Please, Sasuke-kun… Naruto… Please" tears were spilling from her eyes as she turned to look at Sasuke, then to Naruto.

"Sakura-chan…" Naruto whispered

"Please don't fight, please…" Sakura's knees quivered and she started to fall; Sasuke and Naruto caught her just in time to keep her from hitting the floor. "Not like this… _please_… don't fight… like… this…" her eye lids were weak and her world was going dark.

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto screamed shaking her gently, trying to keep her wake.

"What happened?" Naruto and Sasuke looked up to find their sensei starring at them, before either could move Kakashi had hit them both knocking them away by several feet and picked Sakura up. "Both of you should be ashamed of your selves," Kakashi snapped coldly before he disappeared to the door leading to the rest of the hospital.

It took him a moment but he finally found Tsunade, she took one look at the tiny girl in his arms and started shouting orders to the nurses and doctors around her. Kakashi placed Sakura into a nearby hospital bed and watched as she was escorted away by rushing nurses.

"What happened?" Tsunade asked Kakashi as she readied herself for surgery.

"Naruto and Sasuke got in a fight on the roof, Sakura interfered." Kakashi replied "Sasuke used Chidori and Naruto used Rasengan."

"Why the hell would they do that? Those idiots!" Tsunade snapped as she headed for the door, she stopped at the entrance to the emergence room.

"From what I've seen of her wounds, I doubt she'll live." Tsunade said to Kakashi, she watched him lean against the wall, almost uncaringly if not for that harsh _thump_ he made. If Kakashi was aware of his surrounds at that moment he would have noticed the two boys around the corner sitting on the floor shivering and paler then the paint behind them.

"If she does live, she'll no longer be a kunochi," Tsunade disappeared behind the doors and Kakashi allowed a heavy sigh to escape his lips as he slid to the floor, his hands gripping his gray hair as if he was going to rip it out.

…

_Why couldn't I get there in time?_

…

Tsunade starred at the tiny girl on the table, her hands were covered in blood…

…

_Please…_

…

The monitor attached to the girl's heart was giving a steady flat note…

…

_Please Sakura…_

…

Tsunade ordered someone to get Sakura's parents…

…

_I'll never ask for anything ever again…._

…

Kakashi snapped to his feet when the doors to the operation room opened…

…

_Just please…_

…

Kakashi's mouth opened and closed repeatedly…

…

_PLEASE make it through this!_

…

The cold look in Tsunade's eyes had done nothing more than confirm his fears...

…

_Sakura!_

…

Sasuke trembled in his place against the wall; Naruto was as still as stone…

…

_Sakura!_

…

It didn't take a genius to know what the echoing silence meant…

…

_LIVE!_

…

Sakura hadn't made it…

…

_LIVE! _

…

Tsunade watched as Sakura's parents approached her wirily…

…

_Sakura!_

…

Sasuke and Naruto watched as their sensei turned away from them…

…

_SAKURA!_

…

Sakura awoke with a gasp, her back arching off the operating table as a scream tore out of her throat.

…

_**I hope you liked it, I know it's been a while but at least I'm trying to finish this one **_

_**Reviews are lovely**_

_**Opinions appreciated**_

_**Flames would be nice (just don't cripple me!)**_


	2. Chapter 2: Second chance

Tsunade had just delivered the news when the scream echoed out of the room behind her, Tsunade whorled around and smashed through the doors so fast the couple she left behind didn't notice her leave them in the hallway. Immanently Tsunade's hands glowed a haunting green as she pressed her hands down on Sakura's shoulders, her voice ringing out over the scream to the nurses to hold the girl down.

Sakura's hands scrapped desperately at her arms, drawing blood, Tsunade gritted her teeth tightly and she told the nurses to back off for a moment. Once they did Tsunade let up on Sakura and watched as the girl sprung upwards, just as quickly Tsunade wrapped her arms around Sakura's too thin shoulders.

Sakura was instantly a little calmer, she let Tsunade take her pain away and little by little, Tsunade was able to place Sakura into a fixed coma. Gasping Tsunade gave a quick once over Sakura's body with one glowing hand, her face pinching into displeasure and confusion as she did so. Tsunade stepped away from Sakura slowly, she ordered everyone to leave the room.

Sakura had survived, but the consciences were worst off then Tsunade had originally thought.

Sakura Haruno was unable to ever mold chakra into her shoulders ever again; which meant that she could not place chakra into her hands, the severed chakra connections to her shoulders had completely isolated her arms. Tsunade starred at the too small girl in her arms, her eyes full of pity as she shook her head and gently laid Sakura back onto the table.

"You stupid girl," Tsunade whispered as she headed for the door, "You stupid, stupid girl…" Tsunade paused at the entrance and looked back at the tiny child and let out a sigh before she left the operation room again.

…

* * *

...

It had been a week since the incident with Sakura and Sasuke and Naruto found themselves watching a group of people from afar, it was a group gathered for Sakura Haruno. Her parents had taken her condition hard and forbade them from showing up at the encouragement session. They were hoping that the gathering of people would somehow boost her chances of surviving; considerably more when they donated blood and chakra for her. They still hadn't heard anything from the hospital about Sakura, but her teammates knew that she was dead—no one could have survived from that attach.

Ino refused to acknowledge their existence for the time being and the rest of the teams were too mad to look at them. It was raining unusually hard outside, as if the land of fire was weeping for the loose of another of its many children. Thunder could be heard in the distance just beyond the mountain, flashes blinded those who looked towards the sky; their cries unheard in the torrents of the gathering storm.

Sasuke glanced at Naruto with a frown on his face, it was a little scary to see the blond boy so out of it; But then again he did just help kill his teammate and crush. They had now come to a point were neither needed to say a word to understand what the other was feeling. Jiraya had decided to get Naruto out of the village and train him so that he could prevent that kind of accident from ever happening again.

"How long are you going to be?" Sasuke asked softly watching as his blond teammate turned away from the sea of black before them.

"Two years… maybe three…" Naruto said softly, Sasuke nodded his head calmly.

"We should keep in contact… write letters or something… we could use a key to open them…" Sasuke said softly, Naruto nodded his head, "a password?" Sasuke asked, Naruto paused as he looked back over at the huge mass; the rain mixing with his tears.

"You know it," Sasuke starred at the frightening blank face on Naruto Uzimaki, "Team seven's regret." Naruto whispered and Sasuke nodded his head—that was reasonable, Sakura was their regret. Kakashi regretted not moving fast enough to save Sakura's life, Sasuke regretted that it was his Chidori that stopped Sakura's heart, and Naruto regretted hitting Sakura period.

"When will you leave?"Sasuke asked slowly

"Honestly? I don't know," Naruto said softly, Sasuke nodded his head. They had signed a summoning contract with cats soon after, so they could write to each other without suspicions rising. Although it would be slightly more difficult for Sasuke then it would be for Naruto, the blond new his teammate would find a way.

"We should leave before someone decides to kill us," Naruto whispered softly, just barely loud enough for Sasuke to hear. Sasuke nodded his head and both boys turned away from the black mass of people without noticing the several pairs of eyes that watched them leave. Some were hateful, some understanding; some were nothing more than dead haunted stares.

…

* * *

...

Sasuke looked out over his village one last time before he turned and jumped into the trees. Shikamaru was ordered to gather a team, the Sound four protected Sasuke, Momotaru fought against Lee and Gaara, Naruto and Sasuke fought at the great divide waterfall. In that great black orb that surrounded Sasuke and Naruto as their final most powerful attaches combined, the two boys held a pink promise to each other, soft hands enveloped their own and looking beside them both boys saw a little girl dressed in white. Her long pink hair floated around her head like a halo and her long white robs surrounded the two boys like a blanket.

"Forever together," the girl whispered with a soft smile, Sasuke and Naruto smirked up at the girl.

"Together forever!" the two boys chimed together, smiles splitting their faces, the girl giggled softly at them before she seemed to fade away from them. But neither one was scared or concerned, because her warmth stayed with them, keeping away the cold of the water they were drenched in and protecting them from the darkness that was chasing them.

"Together forever," both boys whispered softly…

…

* * *

...

Tsunade looked up at the night sky then turned towards her village; it was a beautiful sight from a top the Hokage monument. Naruto had left little more than a week ago to train with Jiraya and she wasn't sure if it was a wise idea to keep her secret from him.

Tsunade turned and walked towards a tree that had a hidden door and a not so hidden window. When she opened the door, she nodded her head at the three Anbu sitting by the fire place and then walked to the door straight ahead of her. After passing four other doors, Tsunade opened the door at the end of the hall and paused before the stone steps that reviled themselves to her. Tsunade straightened as she grabbed a lantern and walked down the darkened, spiral stair case, after a few more minutes Tsunade paused before another door.

The door had at least a dozen protective jutsu's carved upon its surface; Tsunade looked down at the small blade protruding from the wall next to her and placed her right index figure on it. Once her blood became a steady flow, Tsunade traced the faintest outline of the Uzimaki crescent swirl and the Uchiha fan in its very center with her finger. The door opened slowly and with a lot of effort, it dislodged dust and a few small pebbles as it ground its way to the side. Tsunade gave a depressed sigh as she entered the large stone chamber; she took a few steps forward and set her lantern on a table that already had a lit Lantern on it.

Tsunade turned to face the rest of the chamber as the door closed once more; the chamber was completely made out of stone but glowed with, not just hundreds of lit candles, but the many green glowing seals that covered the floor and walls almost protectively. Before her floating in the center of the room in the air as if she were in the middle of a huge tank of water, was none other than Sakura Haruno.

"I still say she's an idiot," Tsunade mumbled as she approached the man sitting before Sakura on the stone floor. His gravity defying gray hair slumped to the side and in his eyes as if he had just taken a shower, Tsunade knew he'd be here.

"Kakashi if I hadn't known better I'd say you were a little too over protective of this one." Kakashi Hatake turned towards his Hokage for a moment before he slowly stood, Tsunade wasn't sure if she should growl or sigh as he took a few steps back from his place and gave her a silent bow.

"She'll wake up, just not right now," Tsunade said as she stepped into the circle that surrounded the small pink haired girl.

Sakura wore a white kimono styled shirt that had no sleeves or back with a large white skirt wrapped several times around her waist with a heavy knot on her stomach where it was tied. Crimson swirls covered her pale arms all the way up to her shoulder's and over her back; they were painted onto almost every inch of her skin, from her large forehead to the tips of her toes. Every line connected into a symbol before it moved up into another symbol before it eventually arrived to surround Sakura's shoulders like summoning tattoos.

"How are all these seals being powered?" Kakashi asked softly as Tsunade's hands glowed in her own ire green. Tsunade smiled at him for a moment before she placed her hands on Sakura, gently, as if she were moving a priceless doll.

Tsunade pushed Sakura's feet towards the ground and her head and shoulder's up. This way it would appear as if Sakura was standing in the air without her feet touching the ground, her eyes were still closed and her short hair had gotten a little longer and flowed around her shoulders as if in a hidden wind.

"Chakra is the life force behind every living thing right?" Tsunade asked as she slowly moved her hands around Sakura's right shoulder gently, Kakashi nodded his head with a grunt.

"Then that means that animals, bugs and plants have chakra too, right?" again Kakashi grunted as he watched Tsunade work.

"So then everything around us has chakra, this mountain, its trees, its flowers, its bugs everything around us has chakra. So I just used that to my advantage." Kakashi nodded his head in understanding.

"You used the chakra of the mountain to power and stabilize these seals that surround Sakura." Tsunade shot Kakashi a smile, "so that's why you had Yamato make this place and then with Jiraya's help you were able to create the seals and have them constantly stabilize Sakura and heal her without the assistance of other medics. That's why you only told Sakura's parents of her condition and why only a few of us know about Sakura's location."

"And why I had _only_ the heads of a few major clans become authorized to come here," Tsunade said as she passed her hands over Sakura's back. "If we ever get attached again, then after dealing with the enemy one, if not all of them, can come here. If the battle is lost they can deactivate the seals easily and take Sakura away… or kill her." Kakashi stiffened and his eyes sharpened onto Tsunade as she took a step closer to Sakura's left shoulder. "They could also keep her alive and only place their children here for safe keeping until the battle is over, at which they can return here, make sure she's still stable and then replace or add more seals around Sakura."

"Why did you only choose the heads of the clans with the most influence in the village to have this kind of authority?" Kakashi asked, it most certainly explain why he was told with the heads of the Nara, Hyūga, Yamanaka, Akimichi, Inuzuka, and Aburame clans were all present when he was told.

"It was because their children and or their heirs were friends with or knew of Sakura Haruno and if Sakura doesn't wake up then one day _they_ would take over their families and then they would be shown this room and everything would be explained to them." Tsunade replied as she circled around to Sakura's front again

"Ino Yamanaka isn't going to take this too well," Kakashi replied softly, "even if she insists that she and Sakura are enemies, they're still friends." Tsunade nodded her head as she stepped away from Sakura, her hands falling to her sides.

"I imagine Sasuke and Naruto are going to be ferrous when they find out," Tsunade mused, before a thought filled her head and her face twisted into confusion. "I'm a little worried…"

"Why?" Kakashi asked suddenly pensive, what could be wrong now? "What's wrong?" Tsunade let out a low breath as she wrapped her arms under her chest.

"When Sakura woke up, I noticed something strange with her chakra, something that shouldn't be there…" Tsunade said as she took another step back words as she studied Sakura's unconscious form floating before her.

"What's not supposed to be there?" Kakashi asked softly, his breath was low and his heart seemed to be frozen as he waited for the answer.

"A second chakra," Tsunade answered, she turned and locked Kakashi with a stern, 'don't-repeat-this' stare, "a Bijuu's chakra…"

…

* * *

...

Kakashi returned to his apartment early in the morning after a particularly nasty mission and crashed onto his bed. He starred at the tiny maroon colored orb next to his bed on his nightstand; on its surface was the faintest outline of a pink, five petal flower. He gave a heavy sigh as the memory of what his Hokage had told him two weeks ago suddenly entered his brain without his permission…

"_A second chakra," Tsunade answered, she turned and locked Kakashi with a stern, 'don't-repeat-this' stare, "a Bijou's chakra…" Silence echoed around them as Kakashi digested that bit of information. "It's the strongest demonic chakra that I've ever felt," Tsunade whispered, "its stronger then the Kiyobi's chakra…I don't even know how to describe it…"_

"_What is it doing?" Kakashi asked, terrified at the thought that it was slowly killing his student._

"_Well, at first it was just healing her body and then it was improving her body, now it's just gathering within a space behind her forehead." Tsunade answered "It doesn't appear to be doing anything more than healing her…"_

"_There's more," Kakashi whispered, eyeing his Hokage, Tsunade heaved a sigh and turned to Kakashi, "What else is it doing?"_

"_It's transforming her body…" Tsunade whispered as she stepped forward and removed the billowing skirt that was wrapped tightly around Sakura's waist and pulled back her long hair to show her ears. "She looks like a ten tailed Kitsune…"_

Now Kakashi wished he could get the image of Sakura out of his mind. Every where he looked he saw the memories he had of his only female student. He saw her talking with Ino in front of the flower shop, he saw her laughing with Naruto on their crimson bridge, he saw Sakura practicing Katas in their training field, saw her bloody in the arms of her teammates on top of the hospital roof.

Kakashi couldn't close his eyes, for every time he did; he could only see Sakura floating in the air with ten pink fox-like tails and fox-like ears with soft pink tips that faded down into her pale skin. Kakashi wasn't sure what would happen when Sakura was finally able to awaken and he wasn't really sure he wanted to know.

Would she still be his student?

Would she still be the smiling girl he knew?

Would she let the words of her crush be her greatest weakness?

Would she remember what happened on the roof?

Would she be able to look at him the same way as before?

Would she smile at him when she saw him or would she turn away from him?

How would Sakura react to everyone when she wakes up?

More importantly… how would the rookies' react to her awakening?

Kakashi closed his eyes and fell into a deep, restless sleep…

…

* * *

...

"_Hay Sakura-chan!" she knew that voice, she turned and saw him. The boy she grew up with, his eyes were like sapphires, his hair golden like the sun, his skin tanned nicely and three deep scratches like scars on each cheek. "You'll never guess what Hinata-chan told me today!" She knew that boy, she knew that face and she knew that voice. "I'm going to be a dad!"_

…

* * *

...

"_Hay Sakura-chan," the boy said laying before her with the rain mixing with the red dripping down from his lips, "Make me a promise okay?" his hand gripped hers so tightly, his eyes begging her to understand "Keep him safe okay?" he gasped, "What's a good name for him? Do you know of one?"_

…

"_Naruhi" She whispered softly, tears dripping down her face, finally she was able to speak, but it no longer mattered…_

_The boy was dead…_

_Her childhood friend was dead…_

_Her best friend was dead…_

_Her teammate was dead…_

_Her brother was dead…_

_Her hope was dead…_

_And the man who killed him was the same man she had given her heart to…_

…

"_Your son's name will be Naruhi Uzumaki," Sakura whispered to the corps before her, tears flowing down her cheeks. She turned to look at the bloody woman next to her, purple hair tangled and bloody, her pearl eyes lifeless as she starred at nothing in particular; in her lap was the new born child._

_A little baby boy with yellow hair and pearl blue eyes, his father's scars marked upon his own cheeks. Gently, so painfully gently, she pulled the weeping child away from his decided mother, wrapped him up in his father's torn apart coat and held the small baby close._

"_I'll keep you safe… until the day I die…" She whispered softly, "He'll never see you…"_

…

* * *

...

"_Kaa-san…" a small hesitant voice whispered from behind her, she stiffened before she straightened in her kneeling place. "Oto-san, who is that?" she wasn't surprised that he had brought him here; it was the only way her son could have snuck up on her._

"_Sakura," the deep voice sounded, "hand him over." It was an order, there was no room for discussion, he didn't care who the child had come from. He didn't care. He never really did care for anything other than himself. Nothing else mattered._

"_Monster," She mumbled softly, her whole body drenched in her brother's and his wife's blood, she had tried so hard to save them, but like always, she had failed._

"_Monster," she said again as she stiffly she rose to her knees._

"_MONSTER!" she cried turning swiftly as she swung her right arm down to the ground shattering it into pieces. At the same time he had ran his sword up her arm, from her knuckles to her shoulder; neither would survive from the other's attach if they didn't get to a doctor soon. He jumped away with a scowl on his handsome face; she jumped away from the decremented corpses of her last remaining family._

"_MONSTER!" she cried out as tears rained down her cheeks and her pink hair flew around her like it was a furious fire._

"_You're a monster! How could you do that to him?!" she cried out, she didn't give him time to speak as she threw more explosives and decimated the ground around her._

"_I wish you died INSTEAD!" she was no match for him, she couldn't let him get that close to her, she had to have distractions… so she made them. Shadow clones made from the very chakra that surrounded them, her brother wasn't stupid; he taught her everything he knew._

_She made a run for it; her brother told her where to go. Her brother told her everything he ever knew; he never hide anything from her. She'd ask and he'd tell without hesitance, he'd always tell her everything without question. She could hear that man scream out after her, she could hear a child's tortured scream; she could feel the monster get released._

"_Sakura!" he cried out into that storm around them, his voice echoing off the distant mountains as his wrath filled chakra crashed around the nation like an unsettled sea._

_She knew his voice too…_

_She grew up with him too…_

_She had given him everything…_

_She had given him her heart…_

_He was her teammate…_

_He had betrayed her…_

_He had killed everything that she had ever loved…_

_He had stolen what was precious to her…_

_He had caged her…_

_He had suppressed her…_

_He had nearly killed her…_

_And yet, it was he who had saved her life…_

_He made her have a use…_

_Even if she didn't want to have that use…_

_Even if she was ashamed that it was her gender that saved her life…_

…

* * *

...

Sakura's eyes were heavy, she was in pain and numb at the same time, she could feel her fingers twitch, her toes curled in lukewarm air and the silence was deafening.

Sakura took a slow breath through her nose, then a deep breath through her mouth, she heard something move and as Sakura exhaled she heard someone gasp and stumble.

As she continued to take deep breaths, those around her scampered about, a heavy door opened, hurried voices echoed around her and then silence reigned.

…

* * *

...

"_Mommy!" cried a little boy as he bounced towards her with a bright smile on his face, she watched as the wind blew her pink hair around her in a soft swishing curtain, "Mommy! look what I can do!"_

…

* * *

...

She was running through the darkest forest she had ever seen, a small crying bundle held tightly in her left arm, her right flung uselessly by her side. She had tried to calm the crying baby but found it was not happy to have its father's burden past down on to it. She landed onto the ground and summoned her chakra to her left hand where the baby still whimpered.

"Shhh, little one," she whispered as she continued to run, "we're almost there, sleep now…" and as her chakra numbed the crying child, he finally fell asleep to the erratic beating of her heart. Hearing the sound of a shout not too far away, Sakura quickly ducked behind a tree and slipped into a hollow at its base. She held her breath as she realized that she had just barely made it in time, two sets of feet landed just three feet away from the entrance of the hallow.

"Where is she?" growled an all too familiar deep voice, "Karin can't you sense her?" Sakura hid further beneath the entrance, she knew that voice and that wild crimson hair.

"Shut up Suigetsu!" the woman snapped out, "You know Sakura has perfect control over her chakra!"

"Yeah so?"

"So that means she could have done a transformation jutsu and mimicked an animal and I wouldn't know the difference!" Karin snapped "she could be anywhere! Honestly why was I sent? For all I know she could be sitting three feet from me!" Sakura tensed and her eyes swiveled to the entrance, Karin knew damn well where she was; yet she wasn't telling her partner... _Why?_

…

_**I hope you liked it, I know it's been a while but at least I'm trying to finish this one **_

_**Reviews are lovely**_

_**Opinions appreciated**_

_**Flames would be nice (just don't cripple me!)**_

**Don't fight**

**Page 10**

**Secrets**


	3. Chapter 3: Memories

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

…

* * *

...

"_So that means she could have done a transformation jutsu and mimicked an animal and I wouldn't know the difference!" Karin snapped "she could be anywhere! Honestly why was I sent? For all I know she could be sitting three feet from me!" Sakura tensed and her eyes swiveled to the entrance, Karin knew damn well where she was; yet she wasn't telling her partner... _Why?

"_Man your annoying," Suigetsu whined pathetically "Even I didn't know she could hide from you, I mean we only need the brat!" Suigetsu suddenly fell quiet for a moment, "Hay, you think she'll die to protect him?" Suigetsu watched Karin as she thought about it for a moment_

"_Of course…" Karin replied "She took him just after the sealing ceremony and ran all this way, so it's only logical that she'd die to protect him… especially thinking about who the child's father is…" Suigetsu thought about her words before he nodded his head in acknowledgement of Karin's words._

"_Well I just hope she's not heading for that mountain," Suigetsu said, Sakura stiffened and her eyes narrowed at the pale boy's feet. "Especially since he's heading there pretty damn fast, I mean if she ran now none stop; she'd only have five minutes to evacuate her friends. I doubt they'd get far, he wants to slaughter the last of the rebellion…"_

"_Then I suggest we get going," Karin snapped, "Come on we'll head west for now then go north…" Karin jumped into the trees, leading the way for Suigetsu to fallow her; he did so quickly._

"_So we'll end up at the base of the mountain right?" Suigetsu chuckled, "We'll be toast when he finds out…"_

"_I don't give a damn about him," Karin whispered softly, she was sure he hadn't heard her; but with Suigetsu around, Karin learned to expect the unexpected._

…

* * *

...

Tsunade starred at the light shinning next to her, she was in her bed when it had suddenly gone off. She had just left there two hours ago, yet there it was, the warning light shining brightly in her face next to her bed. It had been a week since the device was completed and handed out to those involved with the secret of Sakura Haruno, Tsunade turned when one of her Anbu landed just outside of her window.

"Hokage-sama the flower's awakened," it was clear that the man had just rushed there from the mountain top; he was out of breath and excited.

"Yes I know, thank you for coming," Tsunade replied as she turned to look back at the small orb on her dresser, "gather the others and make sure the heads weren't sleeping when it went off, I want to make sure every things okay with the flower before I let them see her."

"Hai!" he disappeared, Tsunade sighed as she stood from her bed. She quickly dressed and jumped off her baloney window, she rushed to the mountain top as quickly as she could; she needed to see this for herself. Tsunade was mildly displeased when she saw the clan heads gathering within the tree that was the secret entrance to the chamber, they had arrived quicker then she had anticipated.

…

* * *

...

_Sakura waited thirty seconds before she jumped out of the hollow, several feet away from the hollow was a small scroll half hanging out of a tree limb. Smiling Sakura jumped up and slipped the scroll into her left hand, pinning it between the sleeping baby and her hand. Using what she dared of what little chakra she had left, Sakura high tailed it to the mountain where she knew the rest of the resistance would be waiting._

_Sakura wasn't surprised when she landed on the base of the mountain and was imminently placed into a man's arms. Sakura watched as the man carrying her up the side of the mountain with the two other teams as back up raced up the side of the mountain, it seemed that with each breath she took the air got thinner and colder. At each courter way up, Sakura would be given a solider pill and placed into the arms of another man and her new team would rush up to the next destination assigned to them. When Sakura reached a spot far too close to the top of the mountain for her liking she saw that the snow should have been waist deep at least; but it had been pushed aside to allow traffic. Sakura thanked her transporter and his team as she turned and looked at the gathered people before her._

"_Sakura-chan, what happened?" A young woman with long chocolate brown hair asked as she took a step forward, her deep brown eyes were full of worry; a small, white eyed, girl hid-shyly just behind her cloak._

"_Our fears have been awakened," Sakura replied softly, she wasn't surprised when whispers erupted around her. She wasn't surprised when she saw that the Konoha eleven's parents weren't amongst the group before her, she knew that they were the ones who had bid her passage and distraction._

"_The ten tails was born?" Some one question_

"_Is he coming here?" another asked on the verge of panicking_

"_Is that monster under his control?" a woman asked as she clutched her child to her chest and held another close._

"_What of Neji," the same brown haired woman whispered to Sakura, her hand tightening on the little girls as she starred at her pink haired friend. "What happened to my husband?" Sakura adverted her eyes, she didn't need to see that fear and sadness; she didn't want to break just yet._

"_Forgive me… Tenten" Sakura whispered, she heard her friend gasp and collapse to the ground, her arms quickly wrapping around her daughter. Stealing herself, Sakura took in a deep breath and turned her attention back to the people before her. _

…

* * *

...

"I'm worried that Ino saw me," Inoichi said softly, "She hasn't been sleeping lately because of the flower and I rushed here as quickly as I could…"

"Yeah, the flower really messed with the rookies," Chōza replied "I don't think Choji saw me but you never know…"

"I hope Shikamaru doesn't get any ideas…" Shikaku mumbled softly "It was hard enough to get him out of his head, I don't need him fallowing me here to find out about the flower already…" Tsunade sighed as she entered the tree, she didn't feel anyone around her; but those damn genin were surprising sometimes.

"Lady Hokage what is the meaning of this?" Hiashi asked as he caught sight of Tsunade "Has the flower really awoken?"

"I just got here," Tsunade snapped "Let me have a look at her before you decide to lose your heads." Tsunade walked past the clan heads and wasn't surprised that when she got half way to the door of the stair well, the front door burst open; Standing in the door way was one panting Hatake Kakashi.

"I was wondering why you weren't here," Tsunade said as she continued on her way to the farthest door, "You can wait here with everyone else."

"Like hell I am," Kakashi replied as he fallowed after Tsunade, who ignored him "it's been a month with no improvements…" Kakashi mumbled as he fell into step behind Tsunade.

"Did you sense anyone fallowing you?" Tsunade asked as she walked down the dark stair well

"Not that I noticed," Kakashi replied "but then again I did make a bee-line here so I wouldn't have noticed if anyone did." Tsunade let out a sigh as she caught sight of the still opened door that was the entrance to Sakura's recuperating room.

"Go check the perimeter," Tsunade ordered the two Anbu who were half watching Sakura and half watching Tsunade and Kakashi approach.

"Hai lady Tsunade" both replied as Tsunade and Kakashi walked past them, then they both disappeared up the stairs.

"Status report," Tsunade snapped as she stepped up behind the team of Anbu who surround Sakura on all sides. She was surprised to see another group of Anbu pulled off to the side panting; Tsunade could tell that they were chakra exhausted.

"Lady Hokage!" a young man called, he sat right in front of Sakura and Tsunade, "The flower woke up a few moments ago, the seals almost immanently flared before they started to lose power. We're trying our best to stabilize the seals, but it seems like something's deteriorating them."

"I see," Tsunade whispered as she looked up into the face of the thirteen year old girl still floating in the air. "Anything else?"

"Its hell keeping this thing active!" cried a woman to Tsunade's left and Sakura's right, "We haven't been doing this long but we're already losing chakra! That team nearly killed themselves trying to keep this thing stable!" Tsunade looked towards the woman and then towards the rest of the team trying their best to save the seal, Tsunade watched as their bodies quivered under the stress of their quickly draining chakras, if they didn't stop soon; they'd pass out or even die from lack of Chakra.

…

* * *

...

"_We have five minutes!" Sakura's voice echoed around her, those who were trying their best not to crack; they needed a distraction. "He'll be here in five minutes! We need to hurry!" gasps and murmurs echoed around her, slowly people scattered to their surroundings, her friends quickly gathering around Tenten and herself._

"_Sakura you need to get inside now, you'll freeze otherwise," Ino said as she wrapped a cloak around Sakura's shoulders._

"_Thank you Ino," Sakura said as she took a few steps forward "But we don't have the time, Shikamaru," the Nara head locked eyes with Sakura, he had seen the necklace that was now hidden beneath her cloak._

"_Yes, lady Hokage?" Shikamaru asked, Sakura straightened her shoulders and tried to smother the stab of pain her chest. She saw out of the corner of her eye several others paused with pained looks on their faces before they turned away once more._

"_Get everyone into the chamber," Sakura ordered "We're given no choice but to use the gift."_

"_What?" Shikamaru's voice rose, "Sakura-sama are you sure?"_

"_We're the last," Sakura replied softly "We're the last of the rebellion, we don't have a choice." Shikamaru's eyes widened and he looked away, trying his hardest not to let the tears show._

"_Yes lady Hokage," Shikamaru replied softly, he turned around and headed for the nearest group of shinobi. "You heard our Hokage! Get everyone into the chamber! NOW!" Sakura let Ino bind and heal her right arm as they walked toward a large cave, Sakura didn't like how the cave's icy chandeliers looked like teeth; she felt as if she was walking into the mouth of some kind of horrible monster._

...

* * *

...

"Deactivate the seal," Tsunade ordered

"Lady Hokage?" one of the men asked uncertainly

"Are you sure about this?" Kakashi asked

"Yes," Tsunade said

"If we don't do something she could die," the woman replied slowly "are you sure it's okay to deactivate?" sometimes Tsunade hated that her shinobi always gave her a chance to back out of her orders, especially those concerning Sakura.

"She already woke up right?" Tsunade asked as she crossed her arms "It's a gamble but she'll properly wake up again, most likely as soon as you deactivate the seal." Her Anbu nodded their heads and started to retract their chakra from the seal, slowly deactivating it.

"What's the possibility of her surviving this?" Kakashi asked softly

"I… don't know" Tsunade said softly, she watched Sakura's face intently; slowly the seals around the room died out and faded from view.

…

* * *

...

_Sakura straightened her shoulders and walked through the cave with her head held high, on either side of the cave rows and rows of pedestals and columns lined her path. It wasn't long before she reached the center of the mountain top, before her was what she would have called a valley. A valley of smooth solid ice with tents and hundreds of people gathered into a mass, from her place at the entrance the hundreds of people looked like ants._

"_Let's go," Sakura said, she took a step forward and was only mildly surprised to find Sand supporting her as she walked foreword. Sakura smiled as Gaara appeared by her side, wordlessly he overfed his arm and Sakura placed her right hand onto his elbow._

"_Thank you," Sakura whispered softly, Gaara nodded his head and they floated gracefully down to the center of the 'valley', Sakura knew that now every last refuge of the forth great shinobi war was watching them expectantly. Once they landed at the large pedestal in the center, Sakura removed her cloak and handed it over to Kuranai who was standing nearby with her 12 year old daughter Koha derived their home village 'Konoha'._

…

* * *

...

As the glow of the main seal on the floor that held Sakura together suddenly disappeared to only its founding circle, Tsunade had expected the glow to disappear all together, but it didn't. Tsunade held her breath as the circle continued to pulse with life and Sakura continued to float gently in the air, her skirt flowing gently around her ankles softly. Suddenly and so slowly Tsunade almost through a fit, Sakura's eyes opened and Tsunade found herself starring into a pair of dead emerald eyes, as if she were blind.

"Sakura," Tsunade sighed out, her eyes wide as she watched the girl before her. Hearing a gasp come from behind her, Tsunade snapped around to find Ino Yamanaka and Hinata Hyūga standing in the door way of the chamber.

"Sakura-chan" Hinata whispered, tears gathering in her eyes, Ino collapsed to her knees, her eyes wide as she starred at the floating girl in the center of the room.

"Why," Ino whispered, tears dripping down her face "Why didn't you tell us?" Tsunade starred at Ino for a moment

"We didn't know if she was going to survive," Tsunade replied softly, "It was my decision to not tell you." Ino starred wide eyed at Tsunade, deep purple bruises were smudged beneath her eyes. "She hadn't showed signs of being alive until after the news was delivered to everyone; I didn't know if she was going to survive this" Tsunade said as she gestured around her "and I didn't want to raise anyone's hopes."

"She was alive but you didn't know how much longer she was going to live?" Ino asked softly "So how much longer were you planning on keeping her here? How many months? How many years? How long were you going to wait until you told us?!"

"I wasn't sure if she was going to live," Tsunade's voice came out sternly, Ino flinched and looked away from Tsunade "like I said, I didn't want you or anyone else to be given a hope that could be crushed so easily."

"So you thought it best to tell our parents?" Ino asked "You trusted our parents but not us? She was our friend! She _is our friend!_"

"Don't raise your voice to me!" Tsunade snapped, Ino flinched again and sniffed as she looked away from Tsunade once more. "Sasuke's Chidori was powerful, I didn't know if the electricity had only done damage to just her heart or to her brain as well. If she did live there was a possibility that she wouldn't remember anything—the possibility that she'd be returned to a child like state was too great of a chance to risk to keep her in the hospital. That's why I brought her here, it's easily protected and no one would know she was here—"

"For the exception of our parents!" Ino cried, "Who else knows about her? Our teachers? Do Sasuke and Naruto know? How do you plan on telling them? They think she's dead!"

"I know!" Tsunade snapped out, Ino fell silent as Hinata flinched in the door way, "I know," Tsunade said a little more softly "I should have told them before they left, but I… I…" Tsunade sighed as she fell for a loss of words.

"Lady Tsunade the seal," one of the Anbu's called softly, Tsunade turned around and saw the last of the seal fade away. Slowly Sakura glided closer to the ground, Tsunade took a step to the side for Ino and Hinata to see as Sakura's feet gently touched the ground and the last of the seal's glow faded from the room; leaving it in a soft golden glow from the hundreds of candles.

Everyone waited with baited breath as Sakura starred at Tsunade dully, suddenly she swayed unsteadily on her feet and as she fell forward. Ino and Hinata gave a startled cry and rushed forward so fast that when they caught Sakura together they collapsed into a heap on the floor. Tsunade and Kakashi watched as Ino and Hinata quickly sat up and started to shake Sakura gently, the red paint on the girl's limbs smearing into ugly splotches and staining the two girl's hands.

"Wake up, wake up, wake up," Ino begged, shaking Sakura's shoulder gently "Please wake up."

Hinata whipped at her eyes as she steadied Sakura with gentile hands before she activated her Byakugan searching for anything that could be wrong. She gasped when she saw the physical changes Sakura had gone through, Hinata's eyes snapped up to look at Tsunade worriedly.

…

* * *

...

"_You poor child__," Konan whispered when Sakura turned to face the people on the pedestal. The Kaga's could see the first Hokage's necklaces sitting soundly upon her chest, a small blond haired baby in her arms._

"_Why were you chosen to be Hokage?"__Oonoki asked a little more rudely then he had meant. Sakura looked at him before she turned her eyes to the other leaders surrounding her, a question in her eyes as she looked at each one._

"_She is a good choice." Ei mumbled softly, he turned to his shinobi and what little civilians he still had; in total he barely had a hundred. _

"_It's good to see you again, Sakura-chan" __Shibuki__ said with a soft smile, the young man had long smooth brown hair and soft brown eyes. _

"_You made it Shibuki," Sakura said as she caught sight of the young man, he smiled brightly up at her before he gestured to very few people who were able to retreat with him. It was then that Sakura saw each group was gathering together into their own small villages._

"_Welcome back" Gaara said as he nodded his head, the other leaders soon nodded their heads and softly mumbled their greetings as well._

"_Welcome back, Lady Hokage," Terumii Mei said softly with a pitying smile towards Sakura; the pink haired woman nodded her head at the Mizukage before she turned to the other Kage's and leaders._

"_Gather into your placements," Ei ordered, his white hair had come undone from its braids from his earlier fight. Everyone everywhere scattered further into their rightful placements, villagers gathering together and clutching their children close to them; the shinobi gathered and stood in straight protective lines around their surviving people._

…

* * *

...

The clan heads were all turned towards the entrance of the room, Shikaku was glaring at his son who had them all trapped in the Shadow possession jutsu, for the exception of Hiashi Hyūga; Neji and his clan head were busily fighting each other out side. Neji was able to push Hinata foreword with Ino just in time to keep Hiashi from knocking his daughter out.

"What's taking them so long?" Choji asked softly from beside the door way, "Shouldn't they be back yet?"

"Not if this 'flower' is who I think it is." Shikamaru stated from just outside of the entrance, he was still in the darkness of the night so he had plenty of shadow to work with.

"Huh?" Choji turned to his friend "Who do you think the flower is?"

"I think the flower… is Sakura," Shikamaru replied remembering the strange orb his father came home with one time, Shikaku's too blank face was answer enough, even more so when almost all the parents looked away from them.

"Yeah, Sakura Haruno," Shikamaru said softly, his eyes narrowing at his father "That's who they keep calling flower, so that if they got caught talking about her they could easily say that they were just talking about a plain old flower that caught their attention."

"Yeah you're right," Shikaku replied

"Shikaku," Inoichi said warningly "are you insane?"

"What?" Shikamaru and Choji asked together, Shikamaru's jutsu wavering slightly.

"Your right brat," Shikaku replied again, his face totally blank as he starred at his son lazily "Sakura Haruno is being held here, for specific reasons of course."

"What kind of reasons?" Shikamaru asked, the one thing he didn't like was playing shogi with his old man, especial the verbal ones; he almost always lost the verbal shogi games.

"Reasons that you don't need to know about," Inoichi snapped "what were you thinking coming here? Are you trying to get yourselves in trouble?"

"I think Naruto rubbed off on us a little bit" Shikamaru replied with a smirk "You know how he is."

"I know that he's always getting his teammates into trouble, nearly getting them killed on the simplest of missions," an Anbu member whispered softly to himself.

"Why don't you just stay out of family business?" Shikamaru shot back at the man; he completely ignored the very obvious glares from the three Anbu's. "What specific reasons do you have for keeping Sakura here and not telling the rest of us anything?"

"Did you even stop to think about how all of this would affect Ino?" Inoichi asked ignoring the question, he saw both boys twitch slightly "If Sakura Haruno is really down there, then how do you think Ino will act?"

"She'll blow a gasket," Choji mumbled as he shifted in his place before he straightened and starred into Inoichi's eyes "She'll be furious with you the most," Choji said, Inoichi's eyes twitched slightly, "She trusted you—"

"We all trusted you" Shikamaru interrupted, Choji nodded his head as he continued

"And not one of you thought it right tell us that Sakura was still alive. We didn't know what was going on!"

"The only thing we did know was that Sakura was in the hospital because of something stupid her two teammates did." Shikamaru said as he bluntly glared at his father, "We didn't know what kind of condition she was in, we didn't know if she was going to live or if she was at death's door; _we didn't know anything_." Shikaku tried to harden his gaze at his son, but even he had trouble ignoring the guilt he felt in his heart.

…

* * *

...

"_Thank you all for coming," Sakura said as she greeted the eleven leaders, "I'm happy you were able to make it here."_

"_Are we really going to go through with the gift?" Oonoki asked, "I don't have it in my mind to live much longer then I have already."_

"_Then choose someone to take your place," Sakura replied, "There will be a small group left behind to protect us, when _he_ arrives _he_ will not find them. You can join this group if you so wish."_

"_Who is in this group?" Mei asked, Sakura smiled gently at her and turned to face the crowd behind her._

"_Who here wishes to be our guardians?" Sakura's voice echoed in the cold, empty air. "Those who do not wish to be frozen in time will remain untouched by the gift and become our guardians, if you decide to take this responsibility then step before me now!" Sakura watched as murmurs filled the air, she didn't have much time before the monster would get there; she could already feel him at the base of the mountain._

"_Hurry!" Mei called out to her own people "We don't have much time; please quickly make your decision!" just then the mountain shook, small pieces of ice fell from the roof like hale._

"_We only need five from each village!" Sakura called "this way each of our ways won't die away!"_

"_I will stay behind!" Kuranai called out, her daughter tightened her grip on her mother's hand._

"_I'm staying too!" Koha called out, "You can't make me go mother," Koha cut off her mother with her hands on her hips and a glare._

"_I will stay behind!" Tenten called, Sakura's eyes widened at her and before Sakura could say anything Tenten tightened her hold on her five year old daughter. "You can't make me stay Lady Hokage; I want to give our guardian descendents a fighting chance!"_

"_So be it," Sakura whispered as she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, "anyone else from Konoha?" after a few more seconds and one more good shake, three more from the village stepped forward. "Kuranai Yuhi, Tenten Hyūga, Koha Sarutobi, Ayato Nara, Bakuya Yamanaka; you have volunteered for this placement of guardians, are you sure you wish to do this?"_

"_Yes Lady Hokage," they each replied with a fierce determined look on their faces._

…

* * *

...

"We fallowed orders," an Anbu member said softly, Shikamaru's eyes widened as he turned to look at the woman, "Hokage-sama ordered us not to tell you anything, and that if any of you so much as stepped onto this mountain top we were ordered to knock you out and take you home."

"Why would Hokage-sama order that?" Choji asked softly, "What's wrong with Sakura?"

"Nothing is wrong with Sakura," a new voice sounded, Choji and Shikamaru jumped and locked eyes with the person in the back of the room. "What is wrong with you two morons?" Tsunade asked, her arms were crossed under her chest, Ino and Hinata stood with bowed heads just behind her and Kakashi was standing just behind them with something in his arms; something small and pink with a hint of white.

"Lady Hokage" Shikamaru started as he gave a small bow to Tsunade "what is wrong with Sakura?"

"I just told you nothing is wrong with Sakura," Tsunade snapped "release these people or so help me—"

"Tsunade-sama" Shikaku quickly interrupted "Let us punish our children please," Tsunade starred at Shikaku's back of as he starred at his son.

"Very well then," Tsunade answered, almost immanently Shikamaru's shadow disappeared and the boy gasped as his father over loaded his shadow with his own.

"W-what?!" Shikamaru gasped "What'd you do old man?"

"You aren't a shadow master yet brat," Shikaku answered lazily "You've got no right to try and catch me in a Genin's trick." Shikamaru starred at his father as his eyes began to drop slightly, "Shadow paralysis Jutsu: sleep hold." Shikamaru tried to fight his father's jutsu, but he wasn't quite on that level and had no choice but to fall asleep.

"Shikamaru!" Choji cried as he caught his best friend when Shikaku released Shikamaru from his jutsu. "Shikamaru wake up!"

"Relax son," Chōza said as he approached his son almost wirily, Choji looked up at his father with an almost pitiful expression. "Relax he's just sleeping, he'll wake up in a few hours." Choji nodded his head slowly as he gulped in a big breath and rubbed at his eyes.

"What's wrong with Sakura?" Choji asked as he looked up at the approaching group, "Why couldn't she be held in the hospital?" Choji starred at the still form of Sakura Haruno in her teacher's arms, she was dressed in a white Kimono top that had no sleeves or back and her skirt was tied around her waist tightly, letting it below around her ankles almost gracefully.

"something's shouldn't be discussed," Tsunade replied as she walked past the two boys, "you parents can take your children home and punish them as you see fit," Tsunade said as she paused just outside of the tree and looked back at the clan heads. "Everyone else surround Kakashi and me; we're heading to the hospital now."

"Hai!" the Anbu quickly surrounded Kakashi and Tsunade as they disappeared from sight and the children were left with their furious parents.


	4. Chapter 4: Thoughts

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

…

* * *

...

"_Tenten, will Chioya be joining you?" Sakura asked her friend, Tenten looked down at her daughter for a moment before she looked back up at Sakura._

"_Yes Lady Hokage." Tenten confirmed, Sakura starred into Tenten's eyes for a moment before she nodded her head._

"_Will you accept the name Shunsetsu from now on?" Sakura asked, they each looked at each other for a moment before they nodded their heads._

"_Tenten Shunsetsu, huh?" Tenten replied with a smirk "Not a bad name, lady Hokage."_

"_Yeah but you're a girl," Ayato Nara replied with a groan, "I'll have to live with 'Ayato Shunsetsu'…"_

"_That's not nearly as bad as you think it is," Bakuya replied "I'm Bakuya Shunsetsu, which isn't half bad either…"_

"_What does being a girl have to do with anything?" Kuranai asked with a raised eyebrow._

"_You try being a guy with a name like 'spring snow' man this is so not cool," Sakura smiled at Ayato, he sounded way to much like Shikamaru. Sakura turned to Gaara, she saw that his chosen five involved both of his siblings and his pregnant wife._

"_We'll take on your name lady Hokage," Tamari replied as she took a step forward, "it'll give me an excuse to give my girl a cute name." Sakura starred at Tamari for a moment_

"_You're pregnant?" Sakura asked, completely amazed at the news, Tamari gave her a smug smile; a proud light shining in her blue eyes._

"_Oh yeah and you'll never guess who the father is," Tamari said smirking at Sakura; the pink haired girl leaned close to Tamari, her own green eyes a light with pride and joy. _

"_Ten bucks says it's Shikamaru," Sakura whispered in the older woman's ear, Tamari sagged and pulled out her wallet._

"_Don't tell him," Tamari said softly as she handed over the money, "He'll want to stay behind too…" Sakura smiled and shook her head. _

"_You'll need it more than me," Sakura replied softly, she turned to look at the others who chose to stay behind. Mei's younger guardian chose to stay behind, so that he could teach future guardians his sword techniques. So did Oonoki and his top shinobi, only his most trusted and strongest man was ordered to become the next Tsuchikage. Konan had taught her skills onto a girl who had chosen to stay behind, even Shibuki's cousin stayed behind to be a guardian._

...

* * *

...

"Hay Hiashi!" Tsume Inuzuka called out as she stepped around Choji and Shikamaru, "You two can stop fighting now!" Hiashi and Neji split up and landed a few distances away from each other panting heavily "The flower already left with the healer and crow!" Hiashi nodded his head and straightened his poster; he turned away from Neji and continued towards the tree house.

"Anything else?" Hiashi asked as he approached the woman "Where is Hinata?"

"R-right here…" Hinata mumbled softly, Hiashi turned to his daughter and glared at her; Hinata flinched and starred at the ground. Neji took his place next to his cousin as Hiashi glared at the two; both men still had their Byakugan activated.

"Both of you will be grounded for the next three months," Hiashi said sternly, Neji glared slightly as Hinata flinched. "You'll be confined to your rooms for the next month and a half and permitted to only train within the family estate until the three months is up."

"Damn your harsh," Tsume mumbled as she walked away from the three Hyūga's "Get your ass's out here!" Tsume snapped out as she paused by some bushes, "Kiba you should know better than to try and hide from me." Tsume watched as her son walked out from a few bushes with a pout on his face, he stood with his hands in his pockets and his face turned away from his mother; Akamaru sunk a little further into Kiba's jacket. "You too Shino, I know your sent too." Tsume watched as the boy jumped down from the trees "Your father is still inside, I'm sure he'll want to talk to you." Shino nodded his head and approached the tree; his father met him half way there.

"Did any of the rookies not fallow us?" Inoichi asked as he stepped out of the house with his daughter on his back.

"Yeah," Tsume nodded her head with an almost pleased smile "seems like the only ones who didn't fallow us were the two others on Neji's team."

"But they don't belong to any of the major clans so I'm not surprised," Hiashi replied as he approached the two with Hinata and Neji standing just behind him, both looking slightly ashamed.

"I'm going back to bed," Shikaku said as he through his son over his shoulder "I'm too tired to stick around…" after Shikaku left, Chōza and his son left, then the Hyūga and Inuzuka, soon the top of the mountain was devoid of everyone but the two teams who were still left behind to protect the mountain top.

…

* * *

...

"_You understand that after the gift has been preformed, you will be the last of each of your villages and that it is up to you to lay the foundations for the guardians who will come after you, correct?" Sakura asked the group of people before her, each man and woman nodded their heads, and several held their own children, too young to understand, in their arms._

"_My group has accepted the name Shunsetsu," a man in the lightening group said as he stepped forward._

"_My group also agrees to the name," A woman from earth agreed,_

"_So does my group," agreed a woman from the hidden mist_

"_So do we," that was rain_

"_We agree," that was from hidden sky_

"_Shunsetsu is a good name," a woman from hidden snow agreed, Sakura noticed the woman must have been a distant cousin of hers; because the woman had pink hair and green eyes. "Fubuki Kakuyoku, long time no see girl; I believe it was princess Kayuki who introduced us." Sakura immanently recognized the woman as one of the shinobi she fought when she had gone to the land of snow when she was younger._

"_Shunsetsu is appropriate for these circumstances," a man from sound agreed "Thank you for agreeing to our presence here." Sakura smiled at him and nodded, Sound was still distrusted, but they had been attached and nearly destroyed as well; so Sakura had called to them._

"_I couldn't think up anything better," Shibuki's cousin said with a nod of his head, "Some of our names are going to sound kind of funny for a last name like that, But I'll agree to it."_

"_I was not expecting for everyone to agree," Sakura said softly with a smile, "it was merely a name I deiced to use for those of Konoha who were left behind."_

"_All the same it is a good name," Gaara replied, "there it gives hope to those who survive this war. Spring snow like life after winter—" Just then the mountain shook harshly and people cried out as they fell to their knees. _

"_Quickly! Gather at the pedestals!" Sakura cried as she pulled out the scroll, "Activate the seals and sit upon them so that you won't fall off no matter what!" the sixty gathered shinobi nodded their heads, picked up those who couldn't travel as quickly them and rushed for the closest exist._

…

* * *

...

"How do you think the flower is going to react to everyone when she wakes up again?" one of the Anbu members asked as she watched the various clans disappear into the distance.

"How should I know?" another asked as he huddled in front of the fire place, "Why don't you close that door and window? You know Hokage-sama isn't going to be pleased if someone sees this place."

"Yeah, yeah," the woman stepped back from the door and closed it as she pushed a plank of wood in front of the window. "I'm still curious as to why that girl changed so suddenly…"

"What'd ya' mean by that?" the man asked as he turned to look back at his teammate as she sat in a corner with a book in hand.

"You mean you've never seen that pink haired girl in the village before?" she asked "you've got to be kidding me, even I noticed her!"

"Ah shut up!" the man snapped back "what kind of changes where you talking about anyways?"

"How the hell are you in Anbu?" asked the woman, "don't you think that it was a little strange for someone to have ten tails and ears shaped like a cat's?"

"Of course that's strange," the man replied "But I didn't see any of that when the crow stepped out with the flower."

"Did you notice the ten pounds of silver and gold she was wearing?" the woman asked, the man nodded his head "there you go, that's why."

"I don't get it," the man replied, the woman sighed as her book thumped against her knees "what does all that jewelry have to do with her lack of tails and ears?"

"Thos were chakra suppressant jewelry" the woman answered with a depressed sigh "the most powerful that I've ever seen and the most on anyone I've ever noticed. Not even the pierced people at the freak circus have so much metal pierced in them."

"I've seen those people and that was a gross comparison," the man replied as he turned back to the fire, "That was not an image I needed…" the woman laughed at him as their other teammate looked between them, shook his head and disappeared into his own room. Not one of them aware from the retreating figure just outside of the walls of the tree house they occupied.

…

* * *

...

"_Sakura," Gaara called as the other leaders quickly took their placements in a circle around a second, smaller ring that surrounded the center pedestal as it slowly rose from the floor they stood on._

"_Right!" Sakura called as she quickly stepped up into the center and placed the tiny, suddenly awake, baby on the rising pedestal. As soon as the baby's pedestal got high enough, Sakura ripped opened the scroll Karin and Suigetsu left behind and quickly did the hand signs shown to her on the scroll as it wound its way around the rising pedestal. The other various leaders concentrated their chakra into their own pedestals, Gaara's sand rising and surrounding them protectively._

…

* * *

...

Tsunade opened the door and Kakashi quickly placed Sakura onto the hospital bed, not hesitating for a moment Tsunade quickly attached the ivies and heart monitors. She double checked the Chakra suppressants before she nodded her head to Kakashi once more.

…

* * *

...

"_Messages for the heavens," Sakura's voice rang out as the mountain shook again, "rising through the sky and wind hear our plea! Gods and demons of the universe give us this chance! Freeze this land within the mountain; let us not age with time. Freeze us all together in this one moment; let not our souls leave our frozen bodies. We beg of you, through sky and earth hear our plea! Together we five nations have gathered: fire, wind, water, lightening and earth. Together we have gathered with our brother's and sister's united: leaf, cloud, mist, rain, wind, sound, stone, waterfall, fire, grass, moon, demon, snow, star, sun and iron!" Sakura took a deep breath and continued with her hand signs; the depletion of her chakra was starting to have an effect on her. "We beg of you spirits! Hear our voices! Let us sleep for a thousand years! Gathering and waiting until the right moment to strike back at the man who wishes us dead!"_

…

* * *

...

"When are we going to see Sakura?" Ino asked her father as she woke up the next day, "I want to see her."

"It's not up for discussion," Inoichi replied softly "I know you want to see her but she's not ready for visitors and you're in bad health."

"You mean I'm grounded for the next three months?" Ino snapped back "I heard what happened to Hinata and Neji, and I don't want to be kept in my room for three months just because I fallowed you too the damn mountain!"

"If you keep hounding me you will be grounded for the next three months!" snapped Inoichi, he watched as his daughter starred defiantly up at him before she turned away and marched back up to her room. As soon as she was out of sight Inoichi banged his head on the table top before him.

"If you keep being like that she'll end up hating you," Inoichi's wife said as she placed a small red rose by his hand and a second smaller white flower next to it, Inoichi looked up to his brown haired wife and smiled apologetically at her as she leaned forward and kissed his forehead. "If you don't hurry she's going to leave again."

…

* * *

...

"_Sakura!" someone's voice roar out at her, it was full of fury and hatred, a wrath that could only belong to one man._

"_Let our chosen guardians live to protect us from his bloodied hands!" Sakura cried out, ignoring the chakra pressure of the man who still haunted her dreams. "Let our guardians wake us when the time is right!" Sakura watched as the chakra of the leaders around her gathered and surround the child she had brought, she had no intention of letting that child die for this jutsu._

…

* * *

...

Kakashi watched as the sun slowly rose over the forest past the walls of his village, his last student had finally become stable enough for visitors; although she still hadn't woken. Kakashi watched the way her eyes moved under her eye lids and decided that it was slightly disturbing to watch.

…

* * *

...

"_WITH MY LIFE, I SACRIFICE!" Sakura's voice roared out from her and echoed inside the mountain, she heard the gasps and cry from her friends, Gaara's voice ringing out closer and louder than the others; but she ignored them all. Sakura smiled as the Jutsu stole what was left of her chakra, surrounding the child she had brought as the sacrifice; he would simply be their symbol of hope now. Like his father before him…_

"_Sweet Naruhi…" Sakura's voice was soft and gentle yet at the same time it echoed around her softly like a gentle breeze._

…

* * *

...

Ino walked into the hospital with a set of three flowers, one meaning peace, one meaning friendship and one meaning health. She starred at the three flowers as she continued to walk down the snow white halls of the hospital; she was beginning to hate the color white.

…

* * *

...

_Sakura heard an ear splitting screech that shook the mountain around her and as her eyes widened in realization as she felt something pierce her abdomen. Looking down at her stomach and couching softly, Sakura saw the blackened nail protruding from her body. She felt the blood dribble down her chin as her sight swam before her, Sakura could hear the agonized cry from the beast she was bound to, as well as the cry from those around her._

"_Sakura!" Sakura looked over her shoulder at Gaara, his eyes were wide but he couldn't move anything from his shoulders down because everything was solid stone. As Gaara began to panic, Sakura gave him a small soft smile and placed her hands onto the nail that was protruding from her body._

…

* * *

...

Tsunade starred at the thirteen year old girl who stood in front of a room without seeing the door before her. Her hand resting at her side as she starred almost hauntingly at the door, as if she could open it with her mind or pray that the person beyond it isn't who she thinks it is.

"Are you going to stand there all day?" Tsunade asked as she walked towards the doll like teenager, "It's not going to kill you to enter ya' know." Tsunade smiled gently as the girl slowly turned to her, her baby blue eyes haunted and terrified as if she were expecting some kind of monster just beyond that door.

…

* * *

...

"_Return my child," Sakura's soft voice seemed to echo in the hallow mountain, the people stilled and their voices went silent as they starred at the sight before them. "Split… upon… the winds," Sakura gasped "become… nine… once more...become… free…" Gaara closed his eyes in understanding and regret as a single tear escaped his left eye, freezing in place as the last of him finally became stone. His sand surrounded the group and himself half heartedly and was solid stone and ice as it stilled around them protectively._

…

* * *

...

The scene that greeted the two blonds was mildly funny to the older one. Kakashi was leaning against the wall in a corner, his head tilted slightly back as he slept soundly. His one arm crossed his chest as the other gripped the tiny hand of his last student. The morning sunlight filtered through the window almost made the room glow with its warmth.

…

* * *

...

_Sakura smiled as she felt the demon remove its finger away from her, a sliver of its nail remaining; she felt herself slip from her high placement and fall to the icy floor far below her. Sakura stared at those around her, she was amazed to see that every last one of the leaders had a look of regret or a single tear or a blank face with closed eyes._

…

* * *

...

"Are you going to sleep there all day?" Tsunade asked as she knocked the man's feet down from the window seal, Kakashi yawned and stretched before he opened his one good eye and starred at her lazily.

"Well I had nothing better to do…" Kakashi mumbled as he slowly stood, Tsunade's eye brow twitched a couple times before she straighten and crossed her arms with a smirk on her face.

"I can fix that easily enough," Tsunade shot back, Kakashi starred at her for a moment before he turned back to look at Sakura's sleeping face. He didn't like the fact that she had to wear a mask just so she could breathe, he didn't like the tubs that stuck out of her arms, he didn't like how pale she was and most importantly, he didn't like how he couldn't save her.

…

* * *

...

_The last image Sakura saw as her eyes slowly closed was the small baby held in the air surrounded in a reddish-pinkish glow, in her mind she could still feel the silky sandy yellow hair and still see those strange pearl blue eyes._

…

* * *

...

Suddenly Sakura gasped and she arched in her bed, her arms and head flung backwards as she gasped for breath and then let out an unholy scream.

…

* * *

...

_I wish I could stop all of this from ever happening_, Sakura thought as her world became dark, _I wish things could be different…_

…

* * *

...

Ino watched in horror as Sakura suddenly crashed back onto the bed, a haunting scream tearing out from her throat. Ino collapsed on the floor as Tsunade tried to calm the suddenly awake Sakura; Ino gasped and shook on the floor as that one image burned itself into her brain. The image of Sakura screaming as if some kind of monster wrapped its hand around her body, lifting her into the air and letting the rest of her limps to drop back like a broken doll.

…

* * *

...

_If you could change the past, would you?_

_If I could…_

_If you had the power to stop the ten-tails, would you?_

_If I could…_

_If you were given the power to save the world, would you?_

_If I could…_

_Would you fight for peace?_

_Yes…_

_Would you die to save everything?_

_Without hesitation…_

…

* * *

...

"Sakura—!" Ino screamed out, her voice echoing in the air to filter out the open window, green eyes popped open and Tsunade immanently checked them for any damage before she checked the rest of the young girl's vitals. It wasn't long before a clutching Sakura was gasping desperately in Tsunade's arms; it seemed that she was only one who could calm the young girl down.

…

* * *

...

_Then you'll return to the beginning of everything…_

…_You'll be given the power to stop the ten-tails…_

…_You will be given the chance to save the world…_

…_You will fight for peace…_

…_Thank you…_

_To save everything… there is a price …_

...

* * *

...

"It's okay," Tsunade whispered into Sakura's long locks, "its okay, everything's okay, you're safe, you okay." Sakura kept gasping and clutching, her eyes swiveling around her desperately as if she was searching for something. "You're alive, your safe and unhurt, you're okay…" slowly Sakura calmed down and leaned heavily against Tsunade, her hands grasped around the older woman's arm and blouse as if she was a life line.

"D-d-do-don-n't…" Sakura stuttered out slowly, her eyes heavy as she buried her face into Tsunade's neck "don't g-g-go…"

"I'm right here sweet heart," Tsunade answered with a pitying look, "I'm not going anywhere soon…" Sakura gave a sleepy smile before she fell asleep once more, a lighter, softer sleep that could be easily broken by the softest of sounds…

…

* * *

...

"What was that all about?" Kakashi asked Tsunade as she finally left Sakura's room; Ino was sitting in a chair holding the pinket's hand.

"I'm not sure," Tsunade answered "The same thing happened just after she died. It was like… like I was the only one she recognized…"

"I hope she doesn't go through another screaming episode" Kakashi said as he leaned against the hallway wall, "Because I almost jump through the roof." Tsunade smiled at Kakashi, he was the only one who knew about Sakura's second chakra, other than that small team who stabilized Sakura in the chamber and Hinata Hyūga and Ino Yamanaka. In total that made eleven people who knew of Sakura's second chakra and that was fine with Tsunade.

"She'll sleep for now," Tsunade said, "She should wake up in an hour or so, so don't fret. You can wait for her inside if you'd like…" Kakashi gave his Hokage a small eye crinkle as he lifted off the wall and entered the room quietly once more.

"I'll call you when she wakes…" Kakashi said softly as he eyed a now sleeping Ino, Tsunade smiled and nodded her head. She turned and left as Kakashi quietly closed the door and sat in his previous place. Ino's hand was wrapped around Sakura's weaker one as her head rested on the hospital bed on top of her free arm.

"Why don't you quite scaring us already?" Kakashi whispered softly as he settled and closed his good eye, "You need to wake up and come back to us…" Ino cracked an eye open to look at Sakura before she closed her eyes once more and fell asleep again.

It wouldn't be for another Hour and a half before Ino would wake to something twitching in her hand, snapping up in her seat, and ignoring the startled sound behind her and her throbbing head, Ino starred at Sakura intently.

"Hay, what was that for?" a voice asked behind her, Ino knew who it was and promptly shushed them as she starred at Sakura's face intently. "Huh? What is it?"

"Shhh," Ino's head twitched in the person's direction for a moment, her eyes never leaving Sakura's face for a moment. Sakura's eyebrow twitched and Ino held her breath, a soft groan sounded from Sakura's throat and Ino's hand tightened on Sakura's hand for a moment. She watched as Sakura took a deep breath and couched, Kakashi was right there to hold her up as Ino pressed a glass of water to Sakura's lips. Ino watched as Sakura downed the whole glass in seconds, a soft, barley heard 'thank you' was herd as Sakura was placed back onto the bed gently.

Ino sat down in her seat, her hand wrapped around Sakura's gently as she ignored the three other men in the room with her. Her head was throbbing but she ignored it, it was at that moment that Ino realized that someone could touchier her and she wouldn't care; just so long as Sakura was okay.

Kakashi had disappeared out of Sakura's room as soon as her head hit the pillow; he raced across the roof tops towards Hokage's tower. He made it to Tsunade's office in record timing, opening the window Kakashi popped his head in and starred at a Tsunade who was actually doing paper work.

"Lady Hokage," Tsunade turned towards Kakashi with a raised eyebrow, "She's awakened." Tsunade gasped and almost jumped through a closed window in her rush to get to the hospital.

"Shizune finish up!" Tsunade roared as she jumped out her window,

"Huh? Lady Tsunade!" Tsunade ignored Shizune's frenzied cries as she raced towards the hospital; she pushed as much chakra into her feet as she could and reached the open window next to Sakura's bedroom.

….

* * *

...

Landing on the wall she swung into the room gracefully, with a glance around her, Tsunade quickly rushed to the open door glade that no one saw her enter through the window. Tsunade quickly slowed her breathing down and entered Sakura's hospital room like a professional; she was pleased to see that Kakashi and Ino had gotten Sakura sitting up in her bed. Lazily Sakura rolled her head towards the open door and starred almost dully at Tsunade, giving a slight smile Sakura gestured weakly with her hand for Tsunade. Smiling Tsunade approached Sakura and Ino, Ino's teammates and father quickly backing away.

"Hello Sakura Haruno," Tsunade said as she grasped Sakura's wrist and counted her heart beats, "How are you feeling?"

"It feels like… a dream…"came the tired yet amused reply,

"Well it most certainly is not a dream," Tsunade reassured with a smile, "You gave us quite the scare," Sakura smiled through her mask and blinked slowly up at her as if she were slowly waking from sleep.

"What… happened?" Sakura asked weekly, Tsunade paused as she looked down into Sakura's eyes with a light frown. Tsunade looked up at Kakashi, she swore that if he wasn't wherein a mask he'd be frowning too.

"Sakura," Kakashi said softly, slowly Sakura's eyes blinked up to him, "What is the last thing you remember?" Sakura starred up at him before she looked back down at Ino, and then at the others in the room before her eyes landed on Tsunade once more.

"The s-sen-ju m-moun-tain …" Sakura stuttered slowly, her eyes dropping and flying open repeatedly as if she was fighting sleep, Tsunade's eyes winded and she starred at Sakura before she snapped around to face everyone else.

"Everyone out," Tsunade snapped

"What?" Ino asked ready to protest

"I said out," Tsunade said firmly, "No arguing, get out. NOW." Inoichi grabbed his daughter's shoulders and gently glided her away from Sakura.

…

* * *

_**I hope you liked it, I know it's been a while but at least I'm trying to finish this one **_

_**Reviews are lovely**_

_**Opinions appreciated**_

_**Flames would be nice (just don't cripple me!)**_


	5. Chapter 5: Senju Mountain

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

…

"I'll come back tomorrow Sakura," Ino promised "I swear I'll come back tomorrow, just don't scare me again… okay?" Sakura weakly nodded her head as her teammates slowly left the room, Tsunade turned to Kakashi and gestured with her head for him to leave too.

"Go," Tsunade said "I'll inform you later…" Kakashi starred dully at Tsunade for a moment before he nodded his head and disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"Damn you Kakashi!" Tsunade snapped "Leave like a normal man for once so I don't have to kick your ass!" Sakura watched as Tsunade quickly checked all the machines around her before she removed a few tubs from her arms. After ten minutes Sakura sitting a little higher in her bed and watching Tsunade close the curtains and windows, when Tsunade found herself ready to face Sakura, the younger girl was half asleep.

"Wake up girl," Tsunade snapped "What kind of Kunochi falls asleep around a really pissed off Kage?"

"A… safe… one…" Sakura said slowly, her words stretched out as she fought sleep; Tsunade snorted at Sakura as she sat down next to the girl.

"Cut the weak and tired crap, you're perfectly healthy," Tsunade said sternly as she leaned back in her chair, "are you insulting my intelligence?"

"You're no fun Tsunade-Saishio" Sakura replied strongly as she sat in her bed a little higher, a smug smile on her face and light dancing in her eyes. "I am feeling tired ya' know, can't I sleep a little longer?"

"No," Tsunade dead panned before she tilted her head in curiosity "How do you know about the Senju Mountain?"

"You told me" was the calm reply, Tsunade raised thin wheat colored eyebrow

"How? I just learned the family secret a few weeks ago," Tsunade replied, Sakura gave an almost dreamy smile

"All Hokage know of the Senju mountain," Sakura answered "It is a last resort." Tsunade's eyes winded and she sat straighter in her seat, that statement could only mean one thing...

"You aren't the same girl that got hit by Sasuke and Naruto are you?" Tsunade asked, Sakura gave her a confused look with a raised eye brow.

"Why would those two idiots hit me?" Sakura asked, "Last time I checked they killed each other…" Sakura stopped as she looked at Tsunade a little more closely "How old am I?"

"Thirteen," Tsunade answered confused at the sudden change in questions, "Why?" Sakura sighed,

"Naruto and Sasuke left didn't they?" Sakura asked

"Yes…?" Tsunade answered hesitantly

"Did the sound four beat the crap out of Sasuke before he left?" Sakura asked again as she watched Tsunade's face anxiously

"Yes?" Tsunade's answer came out more of a question then an answer "are you going to answer my questions now?"

"Shoot away," Sakura said with a smile,

"Are you from the future?" Tsunade asked, feeling incredibly foolish, even more so when Sakura gave her an amused smile.

"More like a different time line," Sakura answered with a light chuckle, "I'm actually thirty-one, an ex-Anbu captain and ex-Hokage as well as _a_ leader behind a rebellion group called Shunsetsu." Tsunade starred at Sakura for a moment as the information settled in her brain

"_A leader_" Tsunade repeated slowly, "why were you leading a rebellion group and why does it sound like there were other leaders involved?"

"Because other leaders were involved," Sakura answered with a wicked light in her emerald eyes "doomsday quite literally hits us all, after we lost the battle here at Konoha; the other hidden villages were targeted. After two days the other villages were reduce to a hand full of survivors, to save all of us I suggested the Senju Mountain at the—"

"You did what?!" Tsunade roared as she stood from her chair in a flurry of motion. "Are you insane? That mountain was supposed to save the fire nation! _Not all five of them_!"

"The five nations combined could barely form _one_ hidden village!" Sakura snapped back, "There was barely a hundred or so of each surviving village! When I say that everyone across the map could fit within that mountain _I'm not joking_! Konoha had the fewest numbers for we were the greatest threat!" Tsunade sat back down heavily, she looked as if she was just told that Orochimaru regained his arms and was heading to Konoha to kill her.

"There was nothing left," Sakura said softly, fighting the erg to cry. "People from Suna all the way to Snow country showed up at the mountain, even those from Iwa and Kumo showed up… there were so few of us left…"

"What caused this doomsday?" Tsunade asked softly

"A man named Madara," Sakura answered

"A man," Tsunade repeated skeptically, "a single man brought the world to its knees?"

"An immortal man brought the world to its knees" Sakura corrected with a distant stare, "a man who had the ten tailed Bijuu under his direct control…"

"You got manipulated by him?" Tsunade asked with a raised eyebrow, Sakura looked sharply at her, a look of disgust on her face.

"Hell no!" Sakura snapped, looking like Tsunade had just thrown a half rotted corps at her face, "Why would you say that? I'm not a jinjuriki! Much less a Bijuu!"

"Really?" Tsunade asked softly, _she doesn't know?_ Tsunade thought with a soft frown on her face, _how could she not know?_

"You mean you didn't notice it?" Tsunade asked softly,

"Notice what?" Sakura asked dumbly with a raised eye brow "I think I would have noticed if I was a Bijuu… or a jinjuriki for that matter…" Tsunade huffed and gestured towards Sakura's clothing.

"Those are Chakra suppressant jewelry," Tsunade said, "I was wondering how you didn't notice them…"

"Properly because I'm so used to them," Sakura whispered softly as she played with a golden bracelet, "I was a captive for so long…" Tsunade knew that haunted look; she saw it on a lot of kunochi who came out of badly ending seduction missions.

"I'm interested in this man you said has control of this so called ten-tailed demon?" Tsunade suddenly said, Sakura looked up at her and scowled

"I'm not lying!" Sakura snapped, "His name is Madara Uchiha, he used his internal Mangekyō Sharingan to control the nine-tails thirteen years ago!"

"At least I can vouch for that," Tsunade replied dully, "I was there for that one…" Sakura nodded her head in understanding

"He was also behind the manipulation of the elders into giving the order of the Uchiha massacre and is the real leader behind Akatsuki—"

"How do you know about that?" Tsunade asked sharply, cutting Sakura off quickly, "how do you know about that order?"

"He told me," Sakura answered calmly "he liked to boast about a lot of crap like that. He hated his own clan because they exiled him, he hated Konoha because they didn't make him Hokage and he pretty much hated life in general." Sakura shrugged her shoulders as if she didn't care "I guess he felt that if he couldn't be happy no one else could be either, he believed in destroying the five nations to create a single nation that he alone would rule over."

"He sounds lovely," Tsunade replied sarcastically, "What else does this bundle of joy give us?"

"Besides the destruction of the five nations?" Sakura asked with a roll of her eyes "nothing that's worthy of a smile that's for sure."

"Why did you use the mountain?" Tsunade asked suddenly, Sakura looked up at her.

"There wasn't much of a choice," Sakura answered, "he released the ten-tails a second time so he could destroy the last of us…" Sakura suddenly flashed a proud smile "but he didn't quite make it on time."

"How so?" Tsunade asked, genially curious about the statement

"The ten tails arrived just as the jutsu took it's affect on me," Sakura answered proudly, "I hadn't expected to end up back in time…" Sakura mused "I thought I was going to die, and that in a thousand years time the last of the survivors would awaken once more and we'd be able to raise hell with that monster once more."

"Tell me you're joking," Tsunade demanded "you used that damn jutsu to speak to the gods?" Sakura gave her a shy yet proud smile "You fucking idiot!" Tsunade roared, Sakura flinched at the older woman's volume "that jutsu is like the advanced sealing jutsu's for Bijuu! You need a living sacrifice!"

"I did say I wasn't expecting to live…" Sakura said as she wrung her figures together, "I was hoping that they they'd still accept my soul in return for my request…" Tsunade hit Sakura upside her head

"You idiot!" Tsunade cried out again "That jutsu needs a pure soul! As in a child's soul," Tsunade calmed down as she sat down again rubbed at her temples, "it needs a child's soul because children don't know _how_ to be evil… well that's not entirely true. Some children are evil, that's why the sacrifice has to be someone like an infant or toddler. They're too young to understand what's going on, much less know the difference between good and evil." Sakura nodded her head,

"I had prepared for that," Sakura answered softly, "But I was hoping that they'd spare him… I guess I was wrong…" Sakura whispered softly as she starred mournfully at her hands, "I should have known better then to use him as our hope…"

"Did you use your child?" Tsunade asked softly, Sakura shook her head softly, tears gathering in her eyes

"I… u-used N-Naruto's s-son…" Sakura hick-up as she fought the tears, but the hick-up made her blink and the blink let a few drops fall and every time she whipped at her eyes to remove the offending water, more would replace it. Before she knew it Sakura was crying and Tsunade was holding her, "N-N-Naru-hi-i!" Sakura cried the name out as she buried her face into her mentor's shoulder. "H-he w-was-s t-to sl-slee-eep l-l-l-like e-e-ev-every-y o-o-on-ne el-els-s-s!"

…

Kakashi heaved a sigh from where he sat next to the door that led to Sakura's room; he heard every word that was said between his student and his Hokage. Kakashi lifted off the wall he leaned against and started on his way back to his apartment.

She was no longer his student…

She was no longer the smiling girl he knew…

She was stronger than the harmful words of her teammate…

She would never be able to look at him the same…

She would not smile at him when she saw him…

She would not turn away from him…

Her reaction to everyone when she woke up was calm and collected, planned…

More importantly, the rookie's reaction to her awakening was positive, although none of them knew what had happened to Sakura.

Could this new Sakura play her part?

Could she fool everyone in the village?

Did she need to rebuild her chakra reserves?

Did she know about her new status?

Did she know that she was now a Jinchūriki?

Or worse… was she now a Bijuu?

…

Sakura slept through the night soundly, thanks to Tsunade knocking her out. When Ino arrived the next morning with a basket of fruit on her elbow, she was given five minutes to visit because Sakura was still in a fragile condition. Ino stepped in and set the basket next to the bed on the stand, sitting down next to Sakura; Ino clasped her friend's hand and waited for her friend to wake up. She was unaware that she had fallen asleep until an hour later when Sakura gently shook her hand.

"Huh?" Ino's head snapped up as she looked around herself sleepily, she straightened when she saw Sakura's amused eyes. "You're up!" Ino said loudly before slapping a hand over her mouth, she watched the door for a minute before she sighed in relieve when no one came tearing through the door.

"You're up," Ino said again, more softly then the first time, "How are you feeling? Are you hungry? Are you thirsty? Do you want anything?"

"Easy," Sakura said chuckling softly as she leaned into her pillow against her head board. "I'm feeling just fine, I'm a little hungry, really thirsty and I need you to be a little bit quieter," Sakura said in almost a whisper. "Innless you want to be hauled out of here by the scruff of your neck," Sakura winked at Ino playfully. Ino sighed and nodded her head calmly; she took an apple from the basket and started to peal it carefully.

"I don't think I've done this since you got sick when we were kids," Ino said softly, Sakura hummed in agreement, her eyes distant as she starred out her window.

"Lady Hokage told me they left…" Sakura said softly, Ino stilled for a moment before she nodded with a sigh and continued to cut the apple into smaller, eatable pieces.

"Yeah…" Ino said softly, "the only reason why Sasuke was allowed to leave like that is because he made a promise to Naruto at the valley of the end."

"Oh, what promise was that?" Sakura asked, her eyes traveling towards her childhood friend.

"He'll return once his training is done," Ino said softly, "it wasn't long after that, that Naruto left too... with Jiraya…"

"I see," Sakura sighed softly after a moment of silence; she leaned back into her headboard tiredly. "Something's can't change…" Sakura whispered softly, Ino placed slice after slice of apple pieces onto a plate with Toothpicks in them. It was killing her to keep quiet, but Ino wasn't dumb enough to interrupt Sakura's thoughts; not when she was trying to piece everything together and get a grip on the reality around her. After about half an hour of silence, Ino finally sighed and stood from her seat.

"As soon as you're out of here we're having a girl's day out," Ino practically ordered, Sakura blinked up at her in surprise. "We'll be shopping till we drop, got that?" Sakura smiled up at Ino and nodded her head.

"I understand," Sakura said amusedly, "I'll make sure to finish healing and get out of here quickly then." Ino smiled at Sakura, nodded her head and grabbed up their trash before she headed out of the room again with a promise of visiting tomorrow.

…

"Purvey Sage!" cried out an excited boy as he ran towards a tall white haired man. "I got a letter from Obaa-chan!"

"Huh?" the old man asked looking slightly miffed at the nickname, "Naruto calm down, what are you talking about?"

"Tsunade-baa-chan!" the blond boy practically cried out, "She was able to heal Sakura-chan! She's alive! Sakura-chan's alive!" Jiraya starred at the excided boy, his last encounter with Tsunade coming to mind.

…

"_What do we do with her?" Jiraya asked as he placed a stabilizing seal on the ground, "Should we kill her… Or put her to sleep?" Jiraya turned towards his teammate. Tsunade had just finished painting her own seal on the wall, she took a deep breath as she dipped her paint brush back into the crimson paint can._

"_I don't know," Tsunade whispered as she walked towards another wall and started up another set of seals._

"_Tsunade-Hime she has a tail and her chakra keeps growing," Jiraya said, "Her chakra is now at a noticeable stage, how do you plan on hiding that?" Tsunade didn't answer as she finished another circle on the wall, "Your shinobi are roaming the village searching for the source of the strange new chakra, are you going to do anything about that?"_

"_I'm getting help on that," Tsunade answered, "Chakra suppressant jewelry is a wonderful invention."_

"_I doubt that'll help much," Jiraya replied as he did painted some more seals on the floor around the main seal "this seal should keep the changes from destroying her." Tsunade glanced at the floor before she returned to painting her own symbols, Jiraya glanced up at the blond just a few feet away from himself. "This one should keep her asleep for awhile…" Tsunade froze and turned towards him, but Jiraya didn't look back up at her._

"_How long will she continue to sleep?" Tsunade asked softly_

"_Until the seal can no longer sustain her…" Jiraya gave Tsunade a serious look before he continued "or if she over power's it."_

"_What'll happen then?" Tsunade asked softly_

"…_then we'll need to kill her," Jiraya said, "Because if she over power's these seals, then nothing but Minato's seal on Naruto will be able to stop her."_

…

"Did you get anything for me?" Jiraya asked watching the blond ball of energy run around him in a blur, Naruto skidded to a stop and looked up at Jiraya with a raised eyebrow.

"Why would Baa-chan write you?" Naruto asked as if he was insulted at the thought, Jiraya hit Naruto on his head and snatched his letter. He quickly tied Naruto up and read the letter quickly. After heaving a sigh of relief Jiraya leaned back against the wall were he sat, Naruto squirming and yelling through his duck taped mouth at Jiraya.

"A disaster was adverted…" Jiraya mumbled softly, he glanced at Naruto before he did a quick summoning.

"Yo, what's up?" asked the orange summoned toad

"Hi to you too kid," Jiraya said as she shifted where he sat on a still swarming Naruto, "did Tsunade-Hime give you anything?"

"no, why?"


End file.
